Troy University professor elected president of North American Society for Sport Management

Posted: Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Dr. Marlene Dixon, professor in the School of Hospitality, Sport and Tourism Management at Troy University, has been elected president of the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), the world's flagship association for sport management academicians and professionals.

Dr. Dixon will serve a three-year commitment, the first a one-year term as president-elect followed by a one-year term as president and a one-year term as past president.

"I am very pleased to be chosen to serve NASSM as its next president," said Dr. Dixon, who is based at the University's location in San Antonio, Texas. "I have been involved in the organization for 15 years and have found that NASSM has been instrumental to my professional growth. The people involved are excellent scholars with a vision for moving sport management forward as a discipline and practice."

Dr. John Miller, Interim Dean of TROY's College of Health and Human Services, said Dr. Dixon is well deserving of the accomplishment.

"NASSM is the flagship association for sport management academicians and is highly regarded by those in the professional sport industry," he said. "It is not only the oldest association of its kind in the world but also the largest with more than 1,000 members globally. Dr. Dixon has served on a number of different committees for NASSM, as well as being a host representative for the 2013 NASSM national conference in Austin, Texas. She will be an effective leader who will represent Troy University extremely well in this position. This is a tremendous and well-deserved accomplishment for her."

Dr. Dixon has been a member of the TROY faculty since 2013, and previously served as an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas and as a lecturer at Rice University.

She holds a bachelor's degree in Biology and Sociology from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, a master's degree in Kinesiology/Sport Administration from the University of Texas and a Ph.D. in Sport Management from Ohio State University.

Dr. Dixon's research focuses on relationships between sport and life quality. She has published 47 peer-reviewed, refereed articles and presented on many occasions both nationally and internationally.

NASSM is actively involved in supporting and assisting professionals working in the fields of sport, leisure and recreation. Its purpose is to "promote, stimulate and encourage study, research and scholarly writing and professional development in the area of sport management – both theoretical and applied aspects."

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education recently approved Troy University to offer the Ph.D. in Sport Management.